Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of Glenn Ford, Law Day, and the birthday of Wes Anderson.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

3:10 to Yuma (1957) is a classic suspenseful
western about escorting an outlaw to a train for
trial.  This movie stars Glenn Ford, born
May 1, 1916.  See also 3:10 to Yuma (2007).  Based
on an Elmore Leonard story.






3:10 to Yuma







Erin Brockovich (2000) is an
inspiring movie about courtroom and
law firm drama featuring a pollution case.
This movie features an American Film
Institute Hero- Erin Brockovich.  This
movie won an Oscar for Best Actress, to
Julia Roberts, who played Erin
Brockovich.  Roberts was born October
28, 1967.  Today is Law Day (May 1).



Erin Brockovich









The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) is about
adventure, comedy and crime in a 1930s
European hotel.  This movie won Oscars
for Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling,
Original Score, and Production Design.  This is
a Wes Anderson film-  as director, a producer,
and writer.  Anderson was born May 1, 1969.




The Grand Budapest Hotel

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Today's movies mark Jazz and Blues Month and the birthdays of Jill Clayburgh and Bugs Bunny.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Paris Blues (1961) is about American
jazz musicians in Paris falling in love.
April is Jazz and Blues Month.





Paris Blues












An Unmarried Woman (1978) is an
excellent movie about a upper class
Manhattan woman after her husband leaves
her.  It stars Jill Clayburgh, born
April 30, 1944.





An Unmarried Woman







What's Up Doc? A Salute to Bugs
Bunny (1990) is about the cartoon
bunny.  Bugs Bunny first appeared on
April 30, 1938, in Porky's Hare Hunt (an early
version) and later in the official version on
July 27, 1940- A Wild Hare.




What's Up Doc? A Salute to Bugs Bunny

Movies for the Day, Monday, April 29, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Ingrid Bergman and Rafael Sabatini and Japan's Golden Week Holidays.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Gaslight (1944) is about criminality
and insanity and focuses on a husband and
wife.  This movie won Oscars for Best Actress,
to Ingrid Bergman, born April 29, 1915, and
Interior Decoration.  This thrilling movie
marked the debut of Angela Lansbury.  See also
the very good Gaslight (1940).



Gaslight










Scaramouche (1952) is a very good
swashbuckler set in 18th century
France.  It features a long sword duel.
It is based on a classic novel by Rafael
Sabatini, born April 29, 1875.






Scaramouche









Fuji (1974) is an animated short
about passengers on a train, especially
a woman and the conductor, as it moves
past Mt. Fuji in Japan.  This short is on
the National Film Registry.  Japan's Golden Week
Holidays are in April.





Fuji

Movies for the Day, Sunday, April 28, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of Robert Anderson, Jazz Month, and the birthday of Saddam Hussein.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

I Never Sang For My Father (1970) is about
a man caught between caring for his elderly father
and moving on with his life.  A very good but
depressing movie.  It is an adaptation of a Robert
Anderson ply.  Anderson was born April 28,
1917.




I Never Sang For My Father











Mississippi Blues (1983) is a documentary
about country folk and their music in the
South.  April is Jazz and Blues Month.





Mississippi Blues












House of Saddam (2008) is a TV miniseries
exploring the life of Saddam Hussein and
especially his family and advisors.  This miniseries
won an Emmy for Supporting Actress, to
Shohreh Aghdashloo.  This miniseries has four
parts.  Hussein was born April 28, 1937.




House of Saddam

Movies for the Day, Saturday, April 27, 2019

Today's movies mark Jazz Month, Birding Day, and the birthday of Edward Gibbon.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

King of Jazz (1930) is a jazz revue.  It won
an Oscar for Interior Decoration.  April is
Jazz and Blues Appreciation Month and April
30 is International Jazz Day.







King of Jazz










Water Birds (1952) is a Disney
True Life Adventure Series film
about water birds.  It won an Oscar
for Best Short Film.  April 27, 2019, is
National Birding Day which is usually on
the last Saturday in April.





Water Birds









The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) is
an epic movie the subject.  Edward Gibbon
wrote the classic History of the Decline and Fall
of the Roman Empire and he was born April
27, 1737.  A very good movie.



The Fall of the Roman Empire

Movies for the Day, Friday, April 26, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Emma Hamilton, Shakespeare, and Arbor Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?




That Hamilton Woman (1941) is about an
ill-fated historical romance between Lord Admiral
Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton, born April
26, 1765.  It is reputed to be the Churchills' favorite
movie.  It won an Oscar for Sound.



That Hamilton Woman





Richard III (1955), a very good movie, is based on the play
by Shakespeare about the 15th century
deformed and possibly insane King of
England.  See also Richard III (1995), reset
to the 1930s.  Shakespeare was born April 23,
1564.





Richard III














The Man Who Planted Trees (1987) is an animation
about a shepherd's efforts to reforest a desolate valley
in the Alps.  Arbor Day is in April, in 2019, on April
26.




The Man Who Planted Trees

Movies for the Day, Thursday, April 25, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Shakespeare, Renee Zellwegger, and Penguin Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Shakespeare in Love (1998) is a fictionalized
tale of a romance by Shakespeare.  It features authentic
16th century theater scenes.  This passionate movie
won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress, to Gwyneth
Paltrow, Best Supporting Actress, to Judi Densch,
Writing, Art-Set Decoration, Costume Design, and Original
Score.



Shakespeare in Love

Cold Mountain (2003) is about a
Civil War injured soldier from the
Confederate Army trying to make his
way home.  This movie won an Oscar
for Best Supporting Actress, to Renee
Zellwegger, born April 25, 1969.





Cold Mountain













March of the Penguins 2:  The Next Step
(2017) is a documentary about a young penguin.
It won an Emmy for Music Composition.
April 25, 2019, is World Penguin Day.






March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Today's movies mark an Irish rebellion and the birthdays of Barbra Streisand and Shakespeare.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Informer (1935) is about a man
who informs on his friend during the Irish
Rebellion in 1922, which began April 24, 1916,
the Easter Rising.  This movie won Oscars
for Best Actor, to Victor McLaglen, Best Director,
to John Ford, Adapted Screenplay, and Score.






The Informer








The Way We Were (1973) is an opposites
attract love story set in the 1930s to 1950s.
It features an American Film Institute Great
Movie Song, The Way We Were, which also won
an Oscar for Best Original Song.  The movie also
won an Oscar for Original Dramatic Score.
This movie stars Barbra Streisand, born April 24,
1942.



The Way We Were











Ran (1985) is an adaptation of Shakespeare's
King Lear set in medieval Japan.  Three sons
struggle for a warlord's domain.  This movie
won an Oscar for Costume Design.  A very good
movie.  Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564.





Ran

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Today's movies mark Book Day, the birthday of Shakespeare, and St. George.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Theodora Goes Wild (1936) is a romantic
comedy and farce about a small town woman
who writes a scandalous best seller and falls in love
with the sophisticated New Yorker who illustrates
the book.  Today is Book Day, April 23.  A very good
movie.




Theodora Goes Wild







Othello (1965) is an excellent movie
adaptation of the play by William
Shakespeare, born April 23, 1564.
See also Othello (1952), Otello (1986)
based on the Verdi opera, and Othello
(1995).



Othello










Dragonheart (1996) is about a dragon
and a knight.  April 23 is the Feast Day
of St. George, the dragon killer.






Dragonheart

Movies for the Day, Monday April 22, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Shakespeare and Jack Nicholson and Earth Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Julius Caesar (1953) is the story of
the Roman emperor, also told by
William Shakespeare in one of his
most famous plays.  Shakespeare was
born April 23, 1564.  This is a very good movie.
See also Julius Caesar (1970).





Julius Caesar









Five Easy Pieces (1970) is about
a musician who drops out of upper middle
class America to work on an oil rig.
This movie is on the National Film Registry
and stars Jack Nicholson, born April 22,
1936.  It features the famous "chicken salad
speech."  An excellent movie.





Five Easy Pieces











Silent Running (1971) is a science fiction
movie about a botanist on a space station
fighting to save the last Earth plants.  Today,
April 22, is Earth Day.






Silent Running

Movies for the Day, Sunday, April 21, 2019

Today's movies mark the founding of Rome and Easter.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Sign of the Cross (1932) is about
Christians seeking religious freedom in
the ancient Rome of Emperor Nero.  Rome
was founded April 21, 753 B.C.






The Sign of the Cross











Spartacus (1960) is an epic
movie of a slave rebellion against
ancient Rome.  This thrilling and inspiring
movie won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor. to
Peter Ustinov, born April 26, 1921, Cinematography,
Art/Set Decoration, and Costume Design.  This
movie features an American Film Institute Hero,
Spartacus.  Rome was founded April 21, 753 B.C.
Also a good Easter movie.



Spartacus









It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)
is an animated children's special (30 minutes)
about the Peanuts gang getting ready for Easter.
April 21, 2019, is Easter.





It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown

Movies for the Day, Saturday, April 20, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Hitler, Jessica Lange, and Donald Wolfit.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Man Hunt (1941) is about a would-be
assassin of Hitler on the run.  Hitler was
born April 20, 2019.  This is a very good
movie.







Man Hunt









Tootsie (1982) is an excellent comedy
about a New York City actor who dresses
as a woman to land a job.  This movie is on
the National Film Registry.  It won an Oscar
for Best Supporting Actress, to Jessica
Lange, born April 20, 1949.




Tootsie








The Dresser (1983) is a very good
movie about the relationship between a
set dresser and an aging actor with an
English touring company in wartime
England.  It is based on the real life of
Sir Donald Wolfit, born April 20, 1902.




The Dresser

Movies for the Day, Friday, April 19, 2019

Today's movies mark Easter and the birthdays of Jayne Mansfield and Eliot Ness.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The King of Kings (1927) is a silent movie
about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
April 19, 2019, is Good Friday.








The King of Kings










The Girl Can't Help It (1956) is about
a press agent trying to hype a gangster's
girlfriend to stardom.  It includes classic performances
by Fats Domino, The Platters, and Little
Richard and others.  It stars Jayne
Mansfield, born April 19, 1933.





The Girl Can's Help It










The Untouchables (1959 - 1963) is a classic
TV series about Eliot Ness, famous FBI agent in Chicago.
It won Emmys for Acting, to Robert Stack, born
January 13, 1919, and Film Editing.  Ness was
born April 19, 1903.  There are 119 episodes.






The Untouchables

Movies for the Day, Thursday, April 18, 2019

Today's movies mark a San Francisco earthquake, the opening of Yankee Stadium, and NYU.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, April
18, 1906 (1906) is a short documentary, 13
minutes, consisting mainly of archival footage
of the devastating aftermath of the great
earthquake.  This movie is on the National Film
Registry.




San Francisco Earthquake and Fire









Damn Yankees (1958) is a musical
comedy about a baseball player selling
his soul to beat the Yankees.  This
movie is based on a Broadway musical.
Yankee Stadium opened April 18,
1923.



Damn Yankees

The Addiction (1995) is a horror
movie about vampires set at New
York University, which was founded April
18, 1831.






The Addiction

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Today's movies mark the appearance of Daffy Duck and the birthdays of William Holden and Isak Dinesen.

Which of today's movies would you watch?





The Scarlet Pumpernickel (1950) is a great
cartoon starring a swashbuckling Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck first appeared on April 17, 1937,
in Porky's Duck Hunt.






The Scarlet Pumpernickel













Stalag 17 (1953) is an excellent movie
featuring comedy and drama in a
World War II POW camp.  It won an
Oscar for Best Actor, to William Holden,
born April 17, 1918.






Stalag 17








Babette's Feast (1987) is about two
women in a Danish village in the late
1800s.  It is based on an Isak Dinesen
short story.  Isak Dinesen was the pen name
of Karen von Blixen-Finecke, born April 17,
1885.  This excellent movie won an Oscar as Best
Foreign Language Film.




Babette's Feast

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Charlie Chaplin and Selene Quintanilla-Perez.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Modern Times (1936) is a Charlie
Chaplin comedy classic in which The
Little Tramp faces the machine age.  This excellent
silent movie is on The National Film Registry.






Modern Times








The Great Dictator (1940) is a
Charlie Chaplin comedy satirizing
Hilter and World War II.  This very
good movie is on The National Film
Registry.  Hitler was born April 30,
1889.  Chaplin was born April 16,
1889.




The Great Dictator

Selena (1997) is the true story of
Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-
Perez, who dies young.  She was born
April 16, 1971.




Selena

Movies for the Day, Monday, April 15, 2019

Today's movies mark the sinking of the Titanic, the birthday of Helene Hanff, and Tax day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Poseidon Adventure (1972) is about
a luxury cruise ship sinking.  This thrilling
disaster movie won Oscars for Original Song,
The Morning After, and Visual Effects.  It was
directed by Irwin Allen, born June 12, 1916.
The Titanic sunk April 15, 1912.




The Poseidon Adventure








84 Charing Cross Road (1987) is about
a 'romance' between two booksellers,
one in New York City and one in London.
This very good movie is based on the
memoirs of Helene Hanff, born April 15,
1916.





84 Charing Cross Road

The Accountant (2001) is about an
accountant trying to be creative to save
a farm.  This movie won an Oscar for Best
Live Action Short Film.  April 15 is Tax
Day.




The Accountant